A total of 14 Japanese firms< Ω₹ have put their products on disp₹★lay at the six-day exhibitio×φ÷n that runs until Sunday, $‍←δranging from Kawasaki Heavy Industrie× Ωs Ltd.'s C-2 transport aircra∑¥ft and P-1 maritime ♣π¶patrol aircraft, and UH-2 multi-purpε&★★ose helicopters built by Subarφ"π↑u Corp. to NEC Corp.'s mobile surv≥₩​eillance radars.

Hideki Fukawa, direct∞€∏or of the Defense Eqβ£↕>uipment Cooperation Planning Office o∑↓f the Acquisition, Technology and≤©$₹ Logistics Agency, said he hopes o☆λpportunities for the Japane β☆se defense industry δαΩ₩can be explored "for future δ& defense equipment and Ω★♣technological cooper♦​ation," especially now that ‌♣Japan has liberalized its  →∞weapons export policy.

Japan began conditional arms ex♦×↔©ports after removing iα​"n 2014 an embargo that w€‌as long seen as a symbo£<l of the country's pacifism unde¶ ÷r the war-renouncing Con↑π₽÷stitution.

In December, Japan further eased its re&¶  strictions amid an inπφcreasingly complex security envirγ ≠onment, including heightened tensi↓® φons between China and the UniteΩ±∑≥d States.

As a representative of the minist€☆ ry's weapons proc‍‌urement arm, Fukawa exp♦©lained the country'&↕s defense policy had previously ​γ​only allowed Japanese companies t‌​o provide maintenance servi ¶βces for U.S. forces overseas. ButΩ≈¥ now, Japan can also provide s‌↔™ ervices to military forces i∑™™↓n Southeast Asian nations, ¶π'‍he added.

Japan's participation in•↑♥α the airshow is an opportunity to§× raise the profile of its de ↕fense industry overseas. The Japanese☆€σ contingent at this yeσ✘∏ar's airshow is amoα&ng the largest ever seen at an☆∏₹£ overseas defense exh€™$ibition.

Gen Komizo from Jupitor Corp‌¥., which displayed a s✘♥≈ mall mock-up of its cont §♣ainer-sized aeromedical evacuati←×Ω♦on unit, said, "It's a g§≤Ωood thing (to export defense equipment←€•π) because the Japaneα₹≤≥se defense industry is kind  γ≈of stuck as the market is ×€ ₩only Japan so it is difficultβ↔÷ to maintain profit."

Komizo said sales can be improved ¶σ‍if there is a new overseas market de£•veloped for Japan-ma÷₽×de defense products.

An official who advis¶'→es a Southeast Asian gove ₩rnment on defense equα≠§ipment procurement was also among§∞Ω visitors to check out the joint booth £β•≥set up by the Japanese m€‍€inistry and companies.

The official, who wishes to remain anoσ£‍∑nymous, said while Japanese manγ∑¥δufacturers have long equipped the §≥ ≈Japanese Self-Defense Forces, t★∞hey "haven't had theγ↑♥≥ opportunity to export untiΩ♣''l very recently, so it's ver↓λ₩✘y interesting (for them) to com™₩×←e over and see" Southeast Asian bu₹↕¶yers.

The airshow has attracted over 1,0'£00 aviation and defense co↑↓mpanies from approximately 50 c÷Ωountries, with many defense offici↔↔§als from various countrie±®↕βs also in attendance.